It’s a football life lesson Gavin Cobb learned quickly. And leaning on that knowledge/experience has certainly been his foundation through the first week of Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp.
That lesson? Know your stuff. Punch the clock and do your job daily.
Period. Here endeth the lesson.
“They say football is a next-man-up mentality game,” Cobb told bluebombers.com after another solid day’s work on Saturday. “That’s how it’s always been and that’s how I carry myself.
“If it’s not my time today, it could be my time tomorrow. At times, yeah, that can be frustrating as you wait on that opportunity. But for me it’s not about waiting, it’s about preparing because if you’re unprepared when your opportunity arises then you’re going to miss out on it and you’re back where you started.
“I just want to be ready for when my name is called and step up and do the best job I can.”
Cobb is entering his second season with the Blue Bombers and fourth in the Canadian Football League after being selected out of the University of Manitoba by the Edmonton Elks in the 2022 CFL Canadian Draft.
He suited up for four games last year for the club and through a week of main training camp has already showcased to new offensive coordinator Tommy Condell his best strength — his versatility. Cobb lined up at wide receiver with the 1s when camp opened in certain offensive packages and when veteran slotback Nic Demski then missed some sessions he moved inside.
That kind of skillset– the ability to play everywhere and gain the trust of the quarterbacks in all of those spots — can be invaluable in roster building.
“I feel like what helps me is I can play all the receiver spots on the field,” said Cobb. “I pride myself on that and it’s helped me in my career to stay on rosters — I know how to play all five spots.”
A Canada West All-Star in his final season at Manitoba as a kick returner, Cobb was injured in his first season with the Elks and showed flashes in the two years that followed before joining Winnipeg last year as a free agent.
“That experience of being out while injured did help me learn about taking a back seat for a while and to see the game from a different perspective,” said Cobb, who hails from Victoria, B.C. “Then you realize that when you’re not out there, there is somebody behind you who has to step in and fill your role. They are in the same scenario, needing to be reading to rock ‘n roll when their name is called. When I came back the next year a lot of guys had good camps and I was put in that role where I had to know everyone’s spot and be ready to fill in. It’s a cutthroat business. If you’re not ready to go, they’ll send you home.
“You always have to know your stuff. When you know what to do, you’re always playing fast, and if you’re not playing fast you’ll get beat every time. In pro football that’s a big thing — you’ve got to be locked in on your Xs and Os so that when you’re out there you’re not thinking about it, you’re just flying around.”
One of Cobb’s other key life lessons that applies to football came from his father Sunny — enjoy and embrace the moment, because the window to play professional sports is only open for so long. His dad would know, as a former college basketball player who know works in the flooring industry in Victoria.
“You know what? I’m already ready for Sunday. I can’t wait,” said Cobb. “Every morning you wake up and it’s ‘Uhhh, here we go. We’ve got to wake up and go to practice.’ Then you get to practice and it’s over and I’m like, ‘Damn, practice is already over?!’ You go to bed and say to yourself, ‘I’ve got to be ready to go to practice tomorrow.’ That’s the coolest part about this whole experience.
“I was talking to my dad last night on the phone and he said, ‘Man, I’m so jealous of you. You get to go to work and you’re having fun. Me, I have to go to work.’ It took me a minute to understand that, but I am truly blessed. I get to come here every day, do what I love and hang out with my friends. It’s a brotherhood in that locker room and then we get to go out on the field and have fun. All day long it’s so much fun.’
“He always tells, me, ‘When you hang ’em up, you can’t go back. So, make the most out of it.’ He always tells me to make sure I’m having fun.”